In the summer of 1974 Pat Price was the most sought after young defenseman in the hockey world. Both the NHL New York Islanders, and the WHA Vancouver Blazers made him their first round draft pick. The Blazers won the bidding war for Price's services.

It was a victory that Vancouver would regret. Pat quickly turned off his teammates with a cocky, arrogant attitude which he did not back up with fine play. Pat struggled in the WHA and at the end of the 1974-75 season the Blazers wasted little time releasing him. Pat signed with the New York Islanders and while he would eventually become a solid, major league caliber player, he would never become the star many had predicted.

Pat was added to the Team Canada roster after signing with the Blazers, with the thought he could use it as a developmental opportunity. Nobody honestly expected Billy Harris to throw a raw rookie out against the Soviets, and they were right. Price did play in Team Canada's 8-3 victory over Finland and in their 3-1 loss to Czechoslovakia.